UNIYA Talks

What is Uniya?

Uniya, established in 1989, is a social justice research and action centre based in Sydney’s Kings Cross. It works locally and globally towards justice for marginalised groups. Uniya (pronounced oo – nee – ya) is a word from an Aboriginal language meaning “meeting place”. It is named after the first Jesuit mission to Aboriginals established in 1886 in the Daly River area of the Northern Territory.

We believe that faith and justice go hand in hand. Our faith means to stand up for the dignity of each person. And so, Uniya is committed to act for changes to government polices and practices that affect the most marginalised people in our community. A major objective is to provide strategic interventions into structural injustice rather than offer short-term solutions.

Yet achieving change is not easy. The problems and issues people face are complex and require thorough research and well thought out plans for action.

Uniya has developed a reputation for credibility, competence and compassion in a number of well-chosen areas.

Uniya is a Jesuit social justice centre. In 2002 Father Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, the leader of the Society of Jesus issued a challenge to Jesuits worldwide. “The Society is concerned about its silence or its excessive prudence faced with the call to be the voice of those who have no voice and to denounce from the rooftops evident injustices”. Our mission is to embody this call.